Public Act No. 01-85

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in
General Assembly convened:

Section 1. Subsection (c) of section 31-279 of the general
statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof:

(c) [On or after January 1, 1992, any] (1) Any employer or any
insurer acting on behalf of an employer, may establish a plan, subject to the
approval of the chairman of the Workers' Compensation Commission under
subsection (d) of this section, for the provision of medical care [which] that
the employer provides for treatment of any injury or illness under this chapter.
Each plan shall contain such information as the chairman shall require,
including, but not limited to:

[(1)] (A) A listing of all persons who will provide services
under the plan, along with appropriate evidence that each person listed has met
any licensing, certification or registration requirement necessary for the
person to legally provide the service in this state; [(2) a]

(B) A listing of all pharmacies that will provide services
under the plan, to which the employer, any insurer acting on behalf of the
employer, or any other entity acting on behalf of the employer or insurer shall
make direct payments for any prescription drug prescribed by a physician
participating in the plan;

(C) A designation of the times, places and manners in which
the services will be provided; [(3) a]

(D) A description of how the quality and quantity of medical
care will be managed; and [(4) such]

(E) Such other provisions as the employer and the employees
may agree to, subject to the approval of the chairman.

(2) The election by an employee covered by a plan established
under this subsection to obtain medical care and treatment from a provider of
medical services who is not listed in the plan shall suspend [his] the
employee's right to compensation, subject to the order of the commissioner.

Sec. 2. Subsection (a) of section 31-294d of the general
statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof:

(a) (1) The employer, as soon as [he] the employer has
knowledge of an injury, shall provide a competent physician or surgeon to attend
the injured employee and, in addition, shall furnish any medical and surgical
aid or hospital and nursing service, including medical rehabilitation services
and prescription drugs, as the physician or surgeon deems reasonable or
necessary. The employer, any insurer acting on behalf of the employer, or any
other entity acting on behalf of the employer or insurer shall be responsible
for paying the cost of such prescription drugs directly to the provider.

(2) If the injured employee is a local or state police
officer, state marshal, judicial marshal, correction officer, emergency medical
technician, paramedic, ambulance driver, firefighter, or active member of a
volunteer fire company or fire department engaged in volunteer duties, who has
been exposed in the line of duty to blood or bodily fluids [which] that may
carry blood-borne disease, the medical and surgical aid or hospital and nursing
service provided by [his] the employer shall include any relevant diagnostic and
prophylactic procedure for and treatment of any blood-borne disease.